Most internal combustion engines use hydraulic valve lifters to open and close the engine valves by means of push rods and rocker arms. The engine valves control the flow of fuel to the engine cylinders and the flow of exhaust gases out of the engine cylinders.
When one or more of the hydraulic valve lifters does not operate properly, the engine does not perform satisfactorily and it is necessary to replace the faulty valve lifter or lifters.
On many internal combustion engines, especially V-8 and V-6 model engines, it is an extremely difficult and time consuming job to remove a faulty hydraulic valve lifter and replace it with a new one. To accomplish this task, several major engine components must be removed to gain access to the valve lifter.
Some of the components which must be removed are sealed off from other parts of the engine by means of engine gaskets. These gaskets prevent engine coolant from becoming mixed with the lubricating oil and vice versa. Once these engine components are removed, new gaskets are required and it is often difficult to obtain a water or oil tight seal when the components are reassembled to the engine.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.